saw him a grown-up young man, changed and yet the same; and now doubtless his childish remembrance, and all he had since been told, joined to give warmth and tenderness to Benjamin's embrace of Joseph. It was the first equal embrace they had ever had. When last they were together, the little one must be taken in his brother's arms, or climb on his knee, to kiss him: now they are of equal height, and Joseph weeps on Benjamin's neck, and Benjamin on his.

Thus does it still take place in families. Years equalise ages. The little brother or sister, once petted and fondled by the elder, in course of time grows up to manhood. There is the same difference in age between them as ever; and yet, in effect, it is not the same. They are now on equal footing they can understand each other, enter into one another's feelings, and give each other sympathy and help. The relation between them is changed; though still tinged with the difference in age, and with the memory of the past great inequality, their relation to each other is now that of equals; and, where strong mutual affection exists, each makes up for the defects of the other, and each is the other's helper. This used to be a onesided help and comfort: but it is so no longer; the elder still helps the younger, but now the younger also gives help to the elder.

When Joseph sent his brethren away, he gave them this parting word, "See that ye fall not out by the way." Did he include Benjamin in the

warning? Or did he speak to the elders only? There is nothing to show. But possibly he might have in his mind the presents he had given them; and Benjamin, the youngest, had received far more than any. If he should show himself proud of this, or if the rest should be envious of him for it, it was not unlikely that disputes would arise. Against this Joseph warned them all. In large families, as life goes forward, and brothers and sisters go out into the world, it is unlikely that all should be equally prosperous. But it is grievous when families are divided by any such cause, or by any question of Much depends on parents. property whatever. There was a reason why Joseph should prefer Benjamin to the rest, for he was his own brother; but parents should show no partiality, especially for a younger child above an elder. If all in youth be treated alike, there will probably be no jealousy in after-life; the prosperous will be humble and kind, and the less successful will be free from envy. Life is a way, a journey: it is sad when brothers fall out by the way; and happy is it when, even to the end of life, the family tie is preserved, and those brought up under one roof are brothers and sisters to the end. But there must be the habit of mutual forbearance, or this cannot be.

We have seen Benjamin as a son and a brother; but we read of him also as a father. It startles us at first, even while we are reading of him as a lad, to come to the mention of no less than ten sons.7

7 Gen. xlvi. 21.

And these sons were not born to Benjamin afterwards; for they are numbered among the threescore and six "souls that came with Jacob into Egypt." They were born to Benjamin in the land of Canaan. Much of our wonder however is done away, when we think of the early age at which marriage then usually took place. Early marriages are still the custom in the East. In India, for instance, mere boys and girls are married. We must receive the account exactly as it stands. Young as he was, Benjamin, the youngest of his family, was himself the father of a family when Jacob went down into Egypt.

It is but little that we know of Benjamin as a son and brother; we know nothing whatever of him as a father. In that character we can take him neither as an example nor as a warning. He had sons: that is all we know. Yet a ray of light comes to us from even that fact—a thought, at least, of practical application.

Benjamin was a youthful father: however he discharged the duty of a parent, a parent he was, though so young, with a parent's responsibility. There are youthful parents still, though not so young as Benjamin; young fathers and mothers, themselves only just grown up to manhood. Marriage itself often steadies the character, and gives to a young man or woman a new thoughtfulness. The birth of a child may well have a like effect. It is a solemn thing to be put in charge of an immortal being-your own child; to have that new relation

ship formed; to be intrusted by God with one of His own undying creatures to train for eternity. Influence begins early. It is almost impossible to fix any age so early as that a mother's influence is not felt by her little one. Let young parents think seriously of this. When a child is given them, they have a new responsibility, as well as a new treasure and delight. Of Benjamin's children we know only the names; yet each had a character and a history and an end. So is it with all children. And their character, history, and end will, under God, depend greatly on their parents. For those who are children of prayer and faith the best may be hoped : but what can be expected for those unhappy little ones whose parents are thoughtless about so deep an obligation? An obligation it is—a solemn obligation which they cannot shake off. "And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and" the rest—is the record in the Book of God: in like manner it is registered above, in the case of every child that is born, that that child was committed to such and such a parent's keeping. And where a charge is given, there will an account be required.

MIRIAM.

E read of no sister of Moses and Aaron but

Miriam; she must therefore have been the sister who was set to watch what would become of the infant Moses in the ark of bulrushes. This makes her several years older than Moses, and of Aaron too, for there were but three years between the brothers.

She was old enough to be set to watch, and intelligent enough to know what to do when Pharaoh's daughter found the child. Had she been a grown woman, she could not have done better than she did; for she offered to call one of the Hebrew women to act as nurse, and then went and called the child's mother-her own mother too. Her mother doubtless had told her what to do; but she could not have foreseen all that would happen from what she did, we may set Miriam down as a trusty and intelligent child. We may also gather that she was thoughtful enough to understand the cruel circumstances of her little brother's birth, when it was necessary to hide him